Vaccine shortage threatens 5 million children in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled areas

A worsening shortage is threatening nearly 5 million children in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled areas after stocks of routine childhood vaccines ran out.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government said millions of children had been deprived of life-saving routine vaccinations, accusing the Houthi group of obstructing vaccine deliveries, restricting immunization teams and interfering with humanitarian operations.

The Houthi-run Health Ministry rejected the accusations, saying stocks of all nine essential childhood vaccines had been completely depleted after UNICEF suspended supplies in late 2025.

Health Ministry spokesman Anees Al-Asbahi said the last shipment of vaccines arrived in September 2025, blaming UNICEF and the global vaccine alliance Gavi for the crisis. Neither organization immediately commented on the allegations.

The crisis comes as authorities in Marib declared a public health emergency after recording 12 measles-related deaths and 1,624 infections since the beginning of the year, including 290 laboratory-confirmed cases, most of them in camps for internally displaced people.

Medical charity MSF warned on Monday that repeated measles outbreaks in Yemen exposed major gaps in routine immunization, access to healthcare and disease surveillance, and that humanitarian funding cuts had further weakened vaccination efforts.

According to UNICEF, half of Yemen’s population lacks access to healthcare services as the country’s health system continues to face severe funding shortages.

The Houthis have controlled the capital Sanaa and other parts of Yemen since September 2014.